Ulster Bank. No photo ID, anyone else had this issue?

Steviemoyne

I'm an existing customer with Ulster Bank and I want to change my account over from a Current Account to a Student Account.

The catch is, I have absolutely no form of photo identification apart from a Garda age card which (unlike everywhere else) Ulster Bank do not accept.

I have an out of date passport (cannot be accepted) and a student card (cannot be used for proof of photo ID but yet can be used as proof that I am a student.....the logic behind that is so messed up).

Ulster Bank have on the list of options that an ML10 form can be obtained from the Garda...yet the Garda have stopped providing ML10 forms altogether.

Has anyone else run into a similar problem? How was it resolved? Do I have any other methods of obtaining acceptable photo id that don't have me buying a driving license or a passport?

SpaceTime

It's beginning to become ridiculous. We don't have any universal photo ID in Ireland other than passports.

The government keep.passing more and more anti-fraud / money laundering legislation, all of which requires photo ID.

They need to have an optional state issued photo ID card.

I'm totally opposed to the continental ideas of requiring people to carry them all the time but they're very useful for transacting secure business like this or for EU travel.

Steviemoyne

My problem is I keep loosing the bloody things. On top of that I only need to renew my passport when going on holiday which I have no plans to do in the near or distant future.

My only option appears to be to fork out €80 for a passport to change my account or change bank. I am probably going to do the latter and find a bank that recognise the Garda ID.

SpaceTime

It's crazy as you've no obligation to have either a passport or a driving licence.

One of my elderly relatives had this issue as she doesn't travel or drive!

Steviemoyne

SpaceTime wrote: »

It's crazy as you've no obligation to have either a passport or a driving licence.

One of my elderly relatives had this issue as she doesn't travel or drive!

Was it resolved?

SpaceTime

Steviemoyne wrote: »

Was it resolved?

She had to get a passport!

Steviemoyne

Christ...will definitely be making the move to a more reasonable bank. At least Garda id is only €10, as far as I know both Bank of Ireland and Permenant TSB accept it as a form of identification.

homer911

ML10 forms can still be downloaded from various places

eg
http://www.leedsbuildingsociety.co.uk/eire/pdf/ML10.pdf

Steviemoyne

homer911 wrote: »

ML10 forms can still be downloaded from various places

eg
http://www.leedsbuildingsociety.co.uk/eire/pdf/ML10.pdf

But they cannot be approved. The Guards have dropped their support for them completely. They won't hand them out, sign them or even entertain the notion of them. For some reason the banks have not updated their sites / support to reflect such.

Edit: At least this was the case when I went in last month enquiring about getting one. I was told by the person on the desk that they no longer hand them out because they were being misused (he wasn't referring specifically to me misusing them, I never got one before).

SpaceTime

It's ridiculous though.

The Gardaí aren't an ID authentication service. They're a fairly busy and resource-strapped police force that probably has better things to be doing!

Likewise, utility companies like Electric Ireland, Bord Gais Energy, Eircom, UPC etc aren't ID verification services.

I had a bank refuse to accept my Smart Telecom bill as proof of address as "ah sure that could be anyone!"

So, apparently I was supposed to have a "proper" telecoms provider..

A lot of my bills are also online only now, so it's quite difficult to get anything other than a printout of a PDF, which they also sometimes refuse.

phormium

I read this post yesterday and I happened to be doing some work today which involved checking account i.d. and I came across ML10 forms that were completed as recently as 10th of this month by Garda stations so maybe it depends on the station?

endacl

Close your UB account OP. Open a student account elsewhere with a bank that knows its ar5e from its elbow.

After all the UB cockups over the last couple of years, and the introduction of there new fees. I'll admit, I only got around to closing mine a couple of weeks ago. I hadn't used it at all since the last debacle, but they still wanted 'maintenance fees' that had accrued monthly. 'Maintenance'? What was being 'maintained'? Were they popping into the account every few weeks to mow the lawn and of a bit of painting? Easiest solution was to pop out to the ATM, withdraw the bit of cash that remained in the account, an the go back in to explain that I was no longer a customer.

craoltoir

Both AIB and EBS accept a PSC card (Public Services Card) issued by the Department of Social Protection as photo ID.

Fred Swanson

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Drag00n79

endacl wrote: »

Close your UB account OP. Open a student account elsewhere with a bank that knows its ar5e from its elbow.

After all the UB cockups over the last couple of years, and the introduction of there new fees. I'll admit, I only got around to closing mine a couple of weeks ago. I hadn't used it at all since the last debacle, but they still wanted 'maintenance fees' that had accrued monthly. 'Maintenance'? What was being 'maintained'? Were they popping into the account every few weeks to mow the lawn and of a bit of painting? Easiest solution was to pop out to the ATM, withdraw the bit of cash that remained in the account, an the go back in to explain that I was no longer a customer.

I want to do the same and move to PTSB but I'm put off by all the hassle switching over with salary, direct debits etc. It sounds like a right pain in the ass.

endacl

Shamrok wrote: »

I want to do the same and move to PTSB but I'm put off by all the hassle switching over with salary, direct debits etc. It sounds like a right pain in the ass.

Do PTSB not have a switching service? They'll do it for you.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.